5 safety tips for when you use your weighted blanket

It’s easy to let ourselves think that if something is natural and didn’t get packaged in a drug store, then it must be harmless.

When we stop to think about it, of course, we quickly realize that this isn’t exactly true.

Water is a necessity of life, but there’s a reason we teach our children to swim.

The heat of a fire is incredibly useful for keeping us warm in winter months or for cooking our food, yet we take necessary precautions to keep those flames contained.

Use caution when blanket-sharing

Weighted products do an incredible amount of good for those who need them, and when properly used. If you purchased a blanket from me, most likely you are an adult who purchased the weighted blanket for yourself. What can you do to keep the children in your life safe? It’s all pretty common sense stuff, when you think about it.

5 Safety tips to remember:

1. When using a weighted blanket, a child should be able to put it on and remove it themselves. Their head and neck should remain free at all times.

2. Although a minor, the child must also consent to the use of the cover. Any sign of refusal, verbal or nonverbal, must be respected. The calming effect of a weighted blanket works best when it is self-administered.

3. Weighted blankets must never be used as a restraint (including rolling a child up in a blanket, using a very heavy blanket on a child); doing so can be fatal.

4. Children should not use blankets weighted for an adult or a child much larger than they are.

5. Never use a weighted blanket on infants or children younger than 2yo; doing so can be fatal. If they are having trouble sleeping, seek, please consult your healthcare provider for other options.

Use with respect

With some guidelines in place, weighted blankets can be used safely and effectively. The bottom line is that weighted blankets can be very helpful and must be used with respect.

Educate Caregivers

If you purchased a weighted blanket for your child, make sure you speak with each of the caregivers in your child’s life and educate them about the proper use of a weighted blanket. If you are interested in reading more about weighted blanket safety, you can find additional research and safety information in my free e-book “How to Know if Weighted Blankets Really Work”.

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